Outside an Amazing Place in Ruidoso, New Mexico
The lot is nearly 2/3 of an acre and runs down the hill from McBride Drive on a moderately pitched
slope. The house is near the top and it's this hillside location that gives us the great view of Sierra
Blanca. The lot is also heavily treed which provides privacy for dining on the deck, sun bathing and the
spa.
Across the back of the house is a beautiful 1200 sq ft redwood deck
that looks right at Sierra Blanca. You can use the telescope to watch
the elk graze on the mountain or to investigate the heavens at night.
There's a good chance you've never seen so many stars, and the
moon will seem like a close neighbor. I use AOL SkyWatcher to track
events like meteor showers. If you're coming up, check to see if
there are some sky events to plan into your trip.

Also, keep an eye on the bottom of the property in the early evening.
There is herd deer that pays a regular visit and this past fall one of
the bucks was an eight pointer!
Sierra Blanca from the deck
Spa with surrounding sun deck
Looking from the entrance to the master bedroom
Spa before siding was finished
Looking from the kitchen end
We had considered using one of the new synthetic materials for deck planking, but
the beauty of the natural redwood won us over and the result is a thing of beauty.

The tub is elevated above the main deck and recessed into a surrounding higher
deck so you can sit down and swing around to get in. The surrounding deck is just
the right height for a glass of champagne, to use for a sun deck, or to just get out of
the water and cool off for a bit. We run the hot tub at 103 degrees and that works
well for us. The good news is the spa heats up very quickly, so don't hesitate to
turn it down (please) when you're done and then crank it back up about an hour
before you want to use it again. Try the buttons on the control panel to select
different jet patterns and, if you're in a psychedelic mood, turn on the light show
(where was this thing in the 70s?).

Also on the deck, near the dining room entrance, under cover, is a natural gas
BBQ. No need for gas bottles or charcoal. Simply turn on the gas and hit the ignite
button. 12 minutes later ... 2" rib eyes are medium rare and ready to eat!!!